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Chemistry of Color: Natural Dye & Textile Art

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Grades 6-890 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Extract natural dyes from onion skins, turmeric, and berries to dye fabric squares, tying chemistry to historic textile traditions.

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Prep: 10 minActivity: 35 min1 session~$1/groupOne table or a clear section of floorBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or hand-copy the essential prompt for Chemistry of Color: Natural Dye & Textile Art, then set out only paper, pencils, and the common or recycled items needed for one test. Use a tabletop representation whenever the original version mentions a room, specialized device, or digital tool; the learning comes from the decisions and evidence, not elaborate scenery.

Activity

  1. Simmer each dye source separately in water to create three dye baths.
  2. Soak fabric squares in a vinegar-water mordant to help the dye bind.
  3. Dye each square in a different bath and let dry, recording the resulting colors.
  4. Research one historical culture that used natural dyes and compare their method to yours.

Done when: The group has completed Chemistry of Color: Natural Dye & Textile Art when it can research one historical culture that used natural dyes and compare their method to yours and point to the observation, measurement, comparison, or trial that supports its conclusion.

Materials

Onion skins, turmeric, berries, white cotton fabric squares, vinegar (mordant), pots

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Disclosure: Materials links below go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Steps

  1. Simmer each dye source separately in water to create three dye baths.
  2. Soak fabric squares in a vinegar-water mordant to help the dye bind.
  3. Dye each square in a different bath and let dry, recording the resulting colors.
  4. Research one historical culture that used natural dyes and compare their method to yours.

Standards it satisfies

  • NGSS · MS-PS1-2

    Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.

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